Fire Damages CO Mile High Stadium

A fire burned through parts of Empower Field at Mile High on Thursday, sweeping through rows of seats inside the Denver Broncos’ stadium before firefighters extinguished the blaze.

The Denver Fire Department responded to the stadium at about 2:15 p.m., Capt. Greg Pixley said. Thick, black smoke streamed from the stadium and was visible along Interstate 25 and widespread parts of Denver.

The fire was brought under control by about 2:45 p.m., according to the fire department. Sprinklers inside the stadium turned on because of the fire, but firefighters were needed to fully extinguish the blaze, Pixley said.

“This fire burned very hot… we’re lucky the sprinkler system started to hold the fire in check,” Pixley said. “…This was a significant fire.”

The fire broke out in a construction zone near the East Club Lounge, according to Empower Field at Mile High. That area of the stadium was quickly evacuated as a precaution and there were no injuries. Pixley said the sprinkler system activated in the indoor seating area, but that there was no sprinkler system over the exposed stadium seats.

The fire started in the fourth-floor suites area and burned seats on the third level.

“The sprinklers were working… but the significance of a fire like this, with the amount of petroleum products burning, creates significant heat,” Pixley said. “Those sprinklers did as best as they could and our firefighters were able to place hose lines to reduce the amount of damage.”

Pixley said 75 firefighters responded to the fire at its peak, and that about 1,000 square feet of the stadium burned.

Firefighters will carry out an additional investigation as to whether there was any significant structural damage to the stadium, Pixley said.

Further details about the cause of the fire are under investigation.

©2022 MediaNews Group, Inc. Visit at denverpost.com. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.